Artist Vignette - Peter Lane

Peter Lane’s focused body of work meticulously explores the nuanced expression capable of small vessels. Lane’s vessels often attempt to explore a single variable. Some rely entirely on studies of translucence and relief such as his works in Ice porcelain.  Other works relinquish any texture or pronounced edges other than their rim and base concentrating on a body of single curvature to layover impressionistic landscapes or illusions of texture .

There are some works however that act as a dialogue between two techniques, studying the exchange between contrasting elements, one of which we have the privilege of reviewing.  Lane’s bowl is grounded by minimalism, though it stands precariously on pointed foot its worn gradient from muddy patina to cream hue instead leaves it floating at first glance. The asymmetry of detail leaves the work top heavy, yet keeps the eye skirting across its ornate rim. This unassuming form is given landmarks through minor oculouses grouped in triplets, channels carved to provide structural hierarchy providing roads to carry one’s gaze over humble peaks along the vessel’s rim. All only provide distraction as ones eye dives ever downwards, where detail decays and leaves no resolution to one's journey. As if worn away by passing tides, or use by many hands, the remainder of the narrative is left unanswered.

Peters work often provides satisfaction through his expertise and variety of resolved forms from series to series, but in this case, leaves us wanting for more.

Artist Vignette - Victor Greenway

Above is an outstanding piece by painter and ceramicist Victor Greenway; First as a large departure from his far more practical works surrounding bowls and small vessels, but secondly as an artefact deceiving in its origin. At first glance one sees a worn river stone, revealing eons of sedimentary layers, lashings of turquoise and deep oaken browns over a pristine cream surface; The purity of the original clay being the only hint of it’s orchestration.

Greenway puzzles the critic to venture into such a provocative work with little fanfare; A subversion of his major body of work consisting of investigations into Italian cities through impressionistic perspective paintings and subdued Bucchero’s. The Buccero left jet black and without ornament or symbol, articulated through signature creases flowing upwards along their surface often to torn edges, breaking the perfect circles that would enclose the internal volume. Perhaps this work presented before us aims to provide the inverse relationship? His more typical works in porcelain challenge the impossible purity of a perfect edge through deformation till torn, reintroduced a natural motif. The converse applies to the pebble, at first glance smoothed by river currents but rough in patina, speckles, ribbons and stains of visual texture, all surrounding a clarity fired clay could only provide.

Though this work stands as an outlier to the work of Greenway, it may be seen as more powerful as the antithesis of his major pursuits. As a foil to a motif of imperfection, added with care, but orchestrated nonetheless, to place this work amongst what it attempts to reproduce would still leave it as an outlier. As Greenway’s tare would never be seen as accidental and adds character to his work, the vivid tones of the pebble would equally bring it to the foreground of one's attention. To surprise and intrigue, but never to fool.

Artist Vignette - Barry Brickell

‘Salt Fired Sculpture’
Image courtesy  of Ceramic Study Group

Barry Brickell’s extensive collection of works contain two families of pot wear. Those more conventional, simple spun forms direct from the wheel that are often adorned with floral ornamentation, either impressed onto the clay or applied as glaze; the other, perhaps more technically complex but most definitely visually striking works, his hand coiled series.

“...once I grasped coiled pots I could not stop...I graduated from fully symmetrical forms, to the wildest sculptural forms I could ever think of...”

-Barry Brickell: A Form of Communication

Through this post symmetrical context, Brickell’s more contemporary series were born. During ‘His Own Steam: A Barry Brickell Survey’ curated to represent his body of work, alluring edges and vivacious curves consumed a large portion of the 2013 exhibition. Though the works may startle in silhouette they are still recognised immediately as ceramic vessels.

Brickell maintains a balance between the curved naturalistic elements across the journey of the vessel, and the more conventional end conditions. Through this balance he best demonstrated the strength of is hand coiled works, the seamless negotiation between provocative motifs and traditional pot making.